He should call it First DownsSeattle Seahawks tight end...

Off the beat

Seattle Seahawks tight end Mike Tice, a Maryland alumnus, hopes to become part owner of a racetrack.

Tice said his investor group has obtained the financing and additional land to build a 191-acre thoroughbred race track in Auburn, Wash., a suburb south of Seattle.

If granted a license to race, Tice said his track could be constructed by the 1993 season.

Tice also is a horse owner. His investor group, the Association for the Continuation of Racing in Washington, plans to incorporate as Auburn Park Inc. and apply to the state Horse Racing Commission for 1993 dates.

The quote

Dann Bilardello, who hit .059 for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season and caught on this year with the San Diego Padres as Benito Santiago's backup, said: "It's a great situation for me, because I don't have to go out and show my skills too often."